Bidding the beloved winter season a warm and pleasant goodbye, the month of spring, March is here. It is a perfect time to start planning a vacation or staycation around the upcoming events in India.
Here is the list of places to watch out for:
Rishikesh, Uttarakhand
Rishikesh is hosting its annual International Yoga Festival from March 1 to March 7. In case you take this opportunity to indulge in a retreat and participate in learning yoga, then this is the perfect place to be this week.
The festival features over 70 hours of different kinds of yoga asanas, meditation practices, and motivational discourses, by some of the finest teachers on Earth.
Highlights and places in Rishikesh:
Aarti at River Ganges
Triveni Ghat
Ram Jhula and Lakshman Jhula
Beatles Ashram
Local and sumptuous vegetarian food
Goa
Goa is mostly on the travel list of people for its boisterous vibe, sandy beaches, and party feel. Make plans and head for the 4 days of festivities and a huge carnival in Goa (March 2 to 5) where the highlights are multi-coloured themed floats and masks.
Highlights:
Palolem Beach
Panaji
Aguada Fort
Scuba diving, parasailing, and flyboarding
Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
In the birth place of Lord Krishna, the festival of Holi (March 21) is celebrated with another level of zeal and enthusiasm with the entire town enveloped in colours. There are food varieties, bhaang, unbelievable celebrations with music and dance. The festival is best experienced in Vrindavan.
Highlights:
Radha Kund
Banke Bihari temple
Dwarkadhish temple
Brijwasi Mithai wala
Bir Billing, Himachal Pradesh
If you have already travelled to Himachal and especially Shimla and Dharamshala, try heading to Bir, this month. Bir Billing, only a few hours from Dharamshala is the ‘paragliding capital of the world.’ It is a quaint town with open spaces where people come from all over the globe to paraglide and soar over tea gardens and hills. You can also visit Buddhist monasteries and dive into the Tibetan culture.
Highlights:
Nature walks and monasteries at Sherab Ling
Paragliding
Bir tea factory
Chokling monastery
The Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Kochi
If you are an art lover, Kochi is the place to be this march. This is the last month of the 4th edition of the biggest exhibition and contemporary arts festival in Asia – March 29. This festival celebrates the different mediums of art and is held in random spots all over Kochi- galleries, heritage buildings, and public spaces. You can also participate in extensive talks, seminars, and workshops.
Highlights:
Fort Kochi
Mattancherry Palace
Paradesi synagogue
Chinese fishing nets
Willingdon Island